Transparent display holder



Feb. 6, 1951 M. TEN HOEVE ET AL TRANSPARENT DISPLAY HOLDER 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 1945 gnaw/WW4); Edwa rd Y'en Hoar e, Marin/usTen [/06 V6 i, Feier fleliorie,

Patented Feb. 6, 1951 TRANSPARENT DISPLAY HOLDER Marinas Ten .Hoeve,Fair Lawn, Edward Ten Hoeve, North Haledon, and Peter De Korte, FairLawn, N

Application November 5, 1945, Serial No. 626,808

7Claims. 1

Our invention relates to the art of display and more particularly tochangeable exhibitors.

In. the merchandising of various commodities, for instance, gasoline,signs or price tags are employed for denoting the prices thereof andwhich signs are usually displayed in the open by being attached to theproduct dispenser or other appropriate support for observation. Inasmuchas the signs or tags areusually con- .s-tructed of paper, cardboard orthe like, it has been the practice to enclose them in holders to protectthem from the weather and other elements. So far as we are aware, theconstruction of any available holder for this purpose comprises a metalbracket on which is mounted a display assembly having a metallic framedisposed about a pair of glass plates for holding the plates together inspaced relation to accommodate therebetween the sign, the bracket beingprovided with means for detachably securing the frame thereto to permitthe assembly to be detached for changing the sign or tag in accordancewith the prevailing price of the product. It has also been the practiceto protect other types of signs or tags, for instance, automotivelicense plates or markers, by the use of similar holders to precluderusting of the markers, which are usually constructed of metal, anddamage to or obliteration of their numerals or other indicia.

In the use of holders of the foregoing described type, the frames, inmany instances, become rusted from weather exposure, while the marginalfaces of the frames, adjacent the glass plates, provide means wherebydirt and other foreign matter accumulate thereabout. The rusting of theframes and/or the accumulation of dirt or other foreign matter resultsin the glass becoming streaked, smudged, or the like when subjected toweather elements and thus attenuate the sign indicia or render the samewholly or partially illegible. Furthermore, the glass plates oftenbecome cracked or broken due to their inherent fragility with the resultthat the sign is damaged and necessitates not only replacement of thesign but often the glass plates or the entire assembly.

Our invention overcomes the foregoing difficulties and disadvantages, itbeing one of the objects thereof to provide a sign holder wherein afram'eless transparent member or body is employed for accommodating thesign or tag in lieu of metallically framed glass plates therebyprecluding the aforementioned smudging, Streaking or the like.

Another object of our invention is to provide a sign holder having asign displaying body constructed of relatively tough transparentmaterial highly resistant to breakage or shattering.

A further object of our invention is to provide a holder of theforegoing described character wherein the transparent body is detachablyconnected to a supporting bracket without the use of a frame or the likedisposed about the. body.

An important object of our invention is to provide a device or holder ofthe foregoing described character which is maintained within atransparent body in a sealed condition and thus protected from weather,dirt or other foreign matter.

Another important object of our invention is to provide a device of theforegoing described character equipped with means whereby thetransparent body may be expeditiously detached and attached from and tothe bracket to permit quick sign changing.

A special object of our invention is to provide a device of theforegoing described character which is attractive in appearance, simplein construction, durable and efficient in use, economical inmanufacture, possessed of a high degree of aesthetic appeal and whichlends itself to high production and quick assembly and disassembly.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear,the invention consists in the combination and arrangement of partshereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings fromwhich the several features of the invention and the advantages attainedthereby will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters designatelike parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is an elevation of our invention, partly in section.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

'3 and 4 are diagrammatic elevations of the invention illustratin stepsin assembling the components.

Figure 5 is an e evation of a modified form of the invention.

Figure 6 an elevation ofanother modified form of the invention. 7

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 1-4 of Figure 6.

In practicing our invention. as i'llrstratedin Figures 1 to 4 inclusiveof the drawings. wepro- 'vide a bracket comprising a relatively long andnarrow member 5 of rust proof material, for instance, brass, and whichmember is formed with end and interjacent sections 6 and I respectively.The end Sections 6 are disposed in right angular relation to theinterjacent section I and are formed with laterally extending endportions 8 provided with openings 9 for accommodating bolts or the likefor securing the bracket to an appropriate support, for instance, agasoline pump or a similar dispenser.

Adjacent the end sections 6, the interjacent section I is formed withopenings I accommodating therethrough anchoring screws I I or the likefor a purpose hereinafter more fully described. Mounted on theinterjacent section is a gasket I2 having its ends provided withopenings for the reception of the screws II, the latter being threadedor otherwise anchored in sockets I3 formed in the end face I4 of a signdisplaying one-piece body or member I5. The member I5 is constructed ofa transparent and relatively tough material, for instance, plastic andwhich may be of the type known as Lucite. The member I5 is formed with apocket I6 opening through the end face I4 to permit a price card, tag orsign H to be loosely inserted into the pocket, the card being providedon opposite faces with indicia I8 denoting the price of the product.When the device is in assembled condition, the member i5 is seated onthe gasket I2 and with screws I I extending through the gasket andbracket and having nuts I9 threaded thereon to effect clamping of themember relative to the bracket.

The surface of the gasket I2 which engages the end face I l of thetransparent body I5 is treated the sign ii contained in the pocket isprotected against moisture and dirt.

When it is desired to replace the sign II, the nuts [9 are removed fromthe screws II, the member or body withdrawn from the bracket and thesign removed from the pocket. In assembling the device, the sign isinserted within the pocket and a finger F of the operator is pressedabout the face I4 to hold the sign in the pocket as illustrated inFigure 3, it being understood that the screws II are of a sufficientlength to permit the insertion of their ends through the openings in thegasket and bracket while the finger of the operator is still retained inthe above described position. When the ends of the screws are thusinserted, the operator's finger'is removed whereupon the edge of thesign wiil engage the gasket and its major portion thus retained in thepocket, as illustrated in Figure 4, until the body I5 is lowered tocompletely enclose the sign and to dispose the face It in appressedrelation with the gasket and sealed therewith by application of the nutsI9.

While the foregoing described form of the invention has been disclosedin connection with the display of a price tag or sign, for instance, inconnection with the sale of gasoline or a similar product and which signis constructed of cardboard or the like having price indicia printed oneach side for dual display purposes, it is to rubber 4 be understoodthat a similar structure may be employed wherein an automotive licenseplate or the like may be retained in the pocket for display and that thelicense plate may carry appropriate indicia on one or both sides.

In the modified form illustrated in Figure 5,

vthe ends of the bracket 20 are pivotly supported in bearings 2I forlimited rotation to permit selective display of the opposite faces of asign contained within the transparent member 22 and which faces may beardifferent indicia. In this form, if desired, a pair of signs each havingindicia on one face may be placed back-toback within the transparentmember 22 for selective display, for instance, automotive license platesof different states which are carried by motor vehicles engaged ininterstate commerce and which are required to display only the plate ofthe state being traveled.

In the modified form illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, we provide abracket comprising a relatively long and narrow member 3| provided withend and interjacent sections 32 and 3 3 respectively. The longitudinalmarginal edges of the interjacent section 33 are formed with inclinedflanges 34 extending inwardly towards each other and which flangesdefine a dove-tailed configuration.

Disposed between the flanges 36 is an inverted V-shaped clamping bar ormember 35, the latter being provided with a seat in which isaccommodated the end of a clamping screw 36 threaded through the section33. The flanges 34 overlie and engage a pair of similar outwardlydiverging flanges 3T integrally formed on the face of the transparentbody or member 39 which face confronts the section 33, access to thepocket 40 which is formed in the body, being had between the flanges3'1. The bar 35 extends between the flanges 3? and coacts with theflanges 35 to clamp the flanges 33 between the bar and the flanges 34when the bar is actuated in a direction away from the member 3| by thescrew 3G. Loosening of the bar, by operation of the screw 36, permitsthebody 39 to be disassembled endwise from the bracket whereby the signM may be withdrawn from the pocket 4i! and another inserted therein.When the sign is thus changed the body is again inserted into thebracket and clamped therein against displacement. One end of the section33 is provided with a stop '52 to limit the movement of the bodyrelative to the bracket during assembly thereby insuring properpositioning of the body on the bracket.

Without further elaboration the foregoing will so fully explain theinvention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adaptthe same for use under various conditions of service. Moreover, it isnot indispensable that all the features of the invention be usedconjointly since they may be employed advantageously in variouscombinations and subcombinations.

It is obvious that the invention is not confined to the herein describeduse therefore as it may be utilized for any purpose to which it isadaptable. It is therefore to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the specific construction as illustrated and described as thesame is only illustrative of theprinciplesof operation, which arecapable of extended application in various forms, and the inventioncomprehends all construction within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim: r

l..In a device of the character described, a one-piece body formed witha pocket for accommodating indicia displaying means therein and withsaid pocket being defined by spaced walls, said body having an end faceformed with an opening communicating with said pocket between saidwalls, said body being constructed of a transparent and relatively toughmaterial highly resistant to fracture, support means traversing saidface for supporting said body and closing said opening, and attachingmeans extending into at least one of said walls and cooperating withsaid support means for clamping said body to said support means.

2. In a device of the character described, a one-piece body formed witha pocket for accommodating indicia displaying means therein andWith'said pocket being defined by spaced walls, said body having an endface formed with an opening communicating with said pocket between saidwalls, said body being constructed of a transparent and relatively toughmaterial having a high degree of resistance to fracture as distinguishedfrom the relatively low degree inherent in glass, support meanstraversing said end face and closing said opening, attaching meansanchored into some of said walls and extending from said face andthrough said support means to effect clamping of said bod to saidsupport means, and means carried by said attaching means and engagingsaid support means and operable for rendering said attaching meanseffective.

3. In combination, a one-piece frameless body formed with a pocket foraccommodating indicia displaying means and with the body having an endface formed with an opening communicating with said pocket, said bodybeing constructed wholly of a transparent and relatively toughametallous material highly resistant to fracture and having side and endwalls defining said pocket and said opening, said body being equippedwith spaced side flanges extending outwardly from said face and entirelyfrom one end of said face to the other to provide a channel having openends; body supporting means extending through said open ends andtraversing said face through an end face of said body, said body being55 constructed of a transparent and relatively tough material highlyresistant to fracture, screws carried by said body and extending fromsaid face and through said support to effect clamping of said body tosaid support, and means carried by 0 said screws and engaging saidsupport and operable for rendering said screws effective, and sealingmeans interposed between said face and said support for sealing saidpocket to protect indicia displaying means therein from extraneous 5matter.

5. In a device of the character described, a support provided with apair of oppositely disposed inclined flanges, a one-piece body formedwith a pocket for accommodating indicia dis- 7 playing means therein andwith said pocket being accessible through an end face of said body, saidbody being constructed of a transparent and relatively tough materialhighly resistant to fracture, said face of said body being structurallyin- 75 2,317,123

tegrally formed with a pair of diverging flanges disposed between andwithin the confines of said inclined flanges, a clamping memberextending between said diverging flanges and effective for clamping thepairs of flanges together, means carried by said support and engagingsaid clamping member to render the latter effective, said last mentionedmeans being operable to render said bar ineffective to permit withdrawalof said diverging flanges from within the confines of said inclinedflanges and thus effect disassembly of said body from said support.

6.In a device of the character described, a support provided with a pairof oppositely disposed inclined flanges, a onepiece body formed with apocket for accommodating indicia displaying means therein and with saidpocket being accessible through an end face of said body, said bodybeing constructed of a transparent and relatively tough material highlyresistant to fracture, said face of said body being structurallyintegrally formed with a pair of diverging flanges disposed between andwithin the confines of said inclined flanges, a clamping memberextending between said diverging flanges and effective for clamping thepairs of flanges together, means carried by said support and engagingsaid bar to render the latter effective, said last mentioned means beingoperable to render said clamping member bar ineffective to permitwithdrawal of said diverging flanges from within the confines of saidinclined flanges and thus effect disassembly of said body from saidsupport, said body being frameless and constituting the sole mediumextending from said support and in which said indicia displaying meansis confined.

'7. In a device of the character described, a support formed adjacentits end with openings, a gasket carried on said support and providedwith openings registering with said first mentioned openings, aone-piece transparent body having an end face engaging said gasket andformed with a pocket for accommodating therein an indicia displayingmember inserted into said pocket through said face, screws anchoredwithin said body laterally of said pocket, said screws extending throughsaid face and disposed through said opening, means carried by saidscrews and operable against said support for clamping said body to saidsupport and'sealing said member within said pocket by said gasket, saidscrews being of a suflicient length outwardly of said face to permitentry of their outer end sections into said openings While said face isdisposed a sufficient distance from said gasket to enable the finger ofan operator to be retained across said face for holding said member insaid pocket during an initial assembly stage of said body and support.

MARINUS TEN I-IOEVE.

EDWARD TEN HOEVE.

PETER DE KORTE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 214,339 Wimer Apr. 15, 1879519,256 Greene May 1, 1894 1,475,025 Newman et al Nov. 20, 19231,968,209 Irby July 31, 1934 2,124,143 Long July 19, 1938

